Compound differential for roving frames



Jan, 141-, 193$. W, STEWART 2,@27,71@

COMPOUND DIFFERENTIAL FOR ROVING FRAMES Filed Feb. 5, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 WHLTER C. TE WW7" Jane M, 11936. w. c. STEWART Z Z' COMPOUND DIFFERENTIAL FOR ROVING FRAMES Filed Feb. 5, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 WW Ww .Q Wm,

WQ I W/%D\\\\ MN Ra 3 MQ mm mQ fi Fw raw F FQ Jan, 314, 193& W T ZfiZYJM]? COMPOUND DIFFERENTIAL FOR ROVING FRAMES Filed Feb. 5, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan, 14 1936. w, c, STEWART COMPOUND DIFFER ENTIAL FOR ROVING FRAMES Filed Feb. 5, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMPOUND DIFFERENTIAL FOR ROVING FRAMES Application February 5, 1934, Serial No. 709,763

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a differential unit for a roving frame, spinning frames and the like, in which means are provided for obtaining. the differential motion necessary with the minimum amount of friction.

An object of this invention is to provide a differential motion composed of sprockets and sprocket chains so the required differential motion can be obtained with the minimum amount of friction by having all parts running in the same direction.

Another object of this invention is to provide a differentialmotion for roving frames and the like, having a train of driving elements composed of sprockets and sprocket chains running in a bath of lubricant with means for retaining the lubricant within a casing in which the sprockets and sprocket chains are mounted.

In the manufacture of yarn from cotton and other textile materials, it is necessary to make a very small sliver or strand of cotton for the spinning frame to spin into yarn. This sliver, or roving, as it is called, is made from a large sliver combed from off the carding machine after :26 the cotton has been carded.

Being a somewhat delicate process to: draft out, twist and wind these small slivers of roving on a bobbin, it is necessary to have an arrangement on the machine doing this, that will slow 30 up the speed of the bobbins as each layer is wound on, to a speed that will give the same circumference speed as the bare bobbin had when winding started.

The machines that do the above work are 35. called roving frames, and have an arrangement of tapered cones with belt connectionsbetween them, passing through a guide that is moved by a mechanism not shown in Figure 6 but incorporated in all standard makes of roving frames,

the purpose of same being to vary the speed of a shaft connection by means of a spur gear to a sun-wheel in which is mounted a conventional bevel gear differential, with its driven end connecting through gears or chain drive to the 45 shaft from which the bobbins are driven. Hence; it is seen that movement of belt guide or cone belt causes a variation in speed of shafts driving bobbins.

Some of the objects of the invention having 50 been stated other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying'drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a roving frame withmy differential applied there- Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through my differential;

- Figure 3 is an isometric view of one of the spindles on which the sprockets within the casing are mounted;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 44 in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional View taken along the line 55 in Figure 2;

V Figure 6 is a transverse sectional View taken along the line 6-43 in Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 'i'-'l in Figure 2.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral It indicates the second Samson for the roving frame while the numeral H indicates the first Samson of the roving frame and I2 indicates the head of the frame and in the first and second Samsons is mounted the shafton whlch the cone pulley M is mounted and also N mounted on the shaft is a gear wheel I5. Pivotally mounted on shaft i3 is an arm It which has a gear wheel I! mounted thereon, which gear wheel meshes with the gear wheel [5 and also gear wheel l8 on said drive shaft Hi.

In the lower portion of the first and second Samsons It and H is fixedly mounted a shaft which has pivoted arms 2! and 22 thereon, and in one end of these arms is rotatably mounted a shaft 23 which has cone pulley 24 fixedly mounted thereon. Extending between the cone pulleys I4 and 24 is a belt 25, which has belt rack or shifter 26 in engagement therewith for the purpose of guiding said belt on the cone pulleys for regulating the speed of shaft 32. Shaft 26 has fixedly mounted thereon a pinion 21 which engages a pinion 28 fixedly mounted on the shaft 2Z3. The pinion 21 is integral with a sleeve 29 and on this sleeve is mounted pinion 30 which engages a pinion 3| fixedly mounted on shaft 32.

Shaft 32has fixedly mounted thereon a gear 33. The main drive shaft I9 is suitably mounted in bearings 34, 35 and 36 and has fixedly mounted thereon a tight pulley 31 with hand wheel 38 integral therewith and loose pulley 39 on which pulleys are adapted to be mounted a belt,'not shown, for the purpose of driving the shaft 18. 7

Conventional bobbin shafts 4|) and 4| have-inter-meshing pinions 42 and 43 thereon, bobbin shaft 4| having a pinion 44 thereon. The structure thus far described is conventional and itis with this mechanism that my improved differential is adapted to be associated and to cooperate therewith for driving the same.

By any suitable means such as a set screw 58 there is secured on drive shaft I9 a sleeve 5| having integral therewith two sprockets 52 and 53 and mounted on sleeve 5| and adapted to rotate thereon, is a sleeve 54 being fixed thereon by any suitable means, such as a set screw 55, and a gear 56. Sleeve 54 has integral therewith a housing 51 over which is adapted to be secured, a cover 58, having a sleeve 59 integral therewith. Sleeve 54 has a spiral groove 69 therein adapted to propel fluid back into the casing and to prevent its escape out of the casing between sleeves 5| and 54. Sleeve portion 59 also has a spiral groove 6| therein which is also adapted to propel a lubricant back into the casing when it escapes therefrom and moves on the interior of sleeve 59. Suitable shafts 63 and 64, threaded at both ends, penetrate the housing 51 and the covering 58 and have nuts 63a, 63b and 64a and 64b thereon for confining the cover on the housing and also for mounting thereon the rotating members 65 and 66. Member 65 has integral therewith sprockets 61, 68, and 69, and member 66 has integral therewith sprockets 18, I I, and I2.

Surrounding shafts 63 and 64 are roller bearings I4 and I5 which are" disposed within suitable bores in the members 65 and 66. The end of shafts 63 and 64 have slots 63c and 640 therein so that the same can be turned for adjustment purposes without dismantling the housing or removing the cover therefrom, as it is seen that the threaded portion on the ends of these shafts are off center and by turning the same they can be adjusted as to position.

Rotatably mounted on shaft I9 is a sleeve I6 having a spiral groove I1 therein on its interior to propel escaping lubricant back into the easing. This sleeve has integral therewith sprockets I8 and I9 which are disposed within the casing and the outer end of the sleeve I6, has secured thereon, by any suitable means, such as set screw 80 and key 800;, a gear 8|, on which a chain 82 is adapted to be mounted, said chain also being mounted on pinion 33 on shaft 32. Gear 56 has mounted thereon a chain belt 83 which is also mounted on gear 44 on bobbin shaft 4|.

Sprockets 52 and I9 have mounted thereon a sprocket chain 84 while sprockets 53 and 61 have mounted thereon a sprocket chain 85. Sprockets 69, I2 and I9 have mounted thereon a sprocket chain 86 which is also mounted on an idler sprocket 8! mounted on a shaft 88 similar to shafts 63 and 64 spanning the distance between the housing 5! and the cover 58.

Sprockets 68, I8 and II have mounted thereon a sprocket chain 89 which is also mounted on an idler sprocket 90 mounted on a shaft 9| similar in all respects to shafts 63, 64, and 88 and spanning the distance between and penetrating the housing 51 and the cover 58 in a manner similar to shafts 63 and 64.

In operation the drive shaft I9 is turning in a clock-wise direction with the observer standing at the left hand end of Figure 1 and looking at the end of shaft I9. Since all of the sectional views are looking from the right hand end of Figure 1, then it is seen that all of the parts are rtating in a counter clock-wise direction as seen in Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7 or it would be in a clock-wise direction when viewed from the left hand end of Figure 1. Sleeve being rigidly secured to shaft I9 rotates therewith all times in a clock-wise direction and this causes all sprockets and sprocket chains to also rotate in the same direction as shaft I9.

The differential motion is acquired in the following manner; 5

By observing Figures 1 and 2, shaft I9 is constantly driven and sleeve 5| being keyed on this shaft, is rotated, which drives chains 84 and 85, driving members 65 and 66 which imparts rotation to housing 51 which rotates gear 56, driving chain 83 and bobbin shafts 49 and 4|. Shaft I9, at the same time, is driving pinions I5, I1, and I8 and cone I4, driving belt 25, which rotates cone 24, which through pinions 28, 27, 38 and 3|, imparts rotation to shaft 32, driving chain 82 which rotates sleeve I6 in the same direction as the other parts of the differential, but at a lower speed, and thus the differential motion is produced by adjustment of belt on the cones I4 and 24, and a minimum amount of friction is the 20 result on account of the use of sprockets and sprocket chains and other features.

In the form of the invention shown, in order to obtain the desired ratio, sprocket wheels 52 and 53 each have thirty teeth; sprocket wheels 612? and I6 each have twelve teeth; sprocket Wheels 68, 69, Ill, and II each have twenty four teeth, and sprocket wheels I8 and I9 each have fifteen teeth.

By computing the ratio of the sprockets, it will befound that there is a reduction of five to one between 52 and I8. If one holds part 8| in a stationary position, and rotates sleeve 5|, it is found that casing 5! and its cover 58 will rotate in the same direction as we rotate sleeve 5|, but

- will lose one revolution in five revolutions of the sleeve and hence it is necessary to change the ratio of the drives 56, 83 and 44 when using this unit when replacing the original geared unit which has heretofore been employed on roving frames, spinning frames and the like.

The proper ratio can be found multiplying the original ratio of five to four which is the ratio derived from holding gear 8| and rotating sleeve 5| as previously described. By holding sleeve 5|, 4 5

and gears I5, I1, and I8 from the same main shaft I9. But owing to the fact that only one fifth of the load is on cone belt 25, it is allowed to function much more efficiently than it did with the old type of gears used as a differential for a roving frame and the like.

Owing to the fact that sleeves 5| and I6 rotate in the same direction, as casing 51, there being only a small difference in their respective seat. and since members and 66 rotate on roller bearings, all sprockets being connected by means 8 5 of roller chains, friction and wear is reduced to a minimum, and the casing being air tight and being partially filled with a lubricant needs very little attention, and therefore the device has an unusually long life and a low cost of upkeep. In addition, almost perfect control of the tension on the roving sliver is possible as they wound onto the bobbin. 7

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the in- T5 vention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and description sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a differential for roving frames and the like, a drive shaft, a sleeve fixed on said drive shaft, a second sleeve rotatably mounted on the drive shaft, the proximate ends of said sleeves each having a pair of sprocket wheels thereon, a third sleeve rotatably mounted on the first sleeve, a casing integral with the third sleeve, a fourth sleeve rotatably mounted on the second sleeve and having integral therewith a cover for the casing, means for securing the cover and its casing together for unitary rotation, two members rotatably mounted in the casing, each member having three sprocket wheels integral therewith, a pair of sprocket chains mounted on the sprocket wheels on said second sleeve and on a pair of sprocket wheels on said rotatable members, a pair of sprocket chains mounted on the sprocket wheels on said first sleeve and on one sprocket wheel each of said rotatable members, driving means between the drive shaft and said fourth sleeve, and a power take-off on said third sleeve.

2. In a differential for roving frames and the like having a drive shaft, a sleeve fixedly secured to said shaft, a second sleeve rotatably mounted on said shaft, a third sleeve having a housing integral therewith rotatably mounted on the first sleeve, toothed members integral with said first sleeve and toothed members integral with said second sleeve and being disposed within said housing, a pair of toothed members rotatably mounted in the sidewalls of said housing and being disposed on opposite sides of said shaft, driving means mounted on said first toothed members and said rotatable toothed members, driving means mounted on said second toothed members and. said rotatable toothed members to impart differential motion to said housing and to said second sleeve member upon rotation of said shaft, 2. gear on the third sleeve and geared connections between said gear and the bobbin shafts of the frame, a gear on the second sleeve and having a geared connection with the driven cones of the frame.

3. A differential for roving frames and the like having a drive shaft, a sleeve fixedly secured to said shaft, a second sleeve rotatably mounted on said shaft, a third sleeve having a housing integral therewith rotatably mounted on the first sleeve, toothed members integral with said first sleeve and toothed members integral with said second sleeve and being disposed within saidhousing, a pair of toothed members rotatably mounted in the sidewalls of said housing and being disposed on opposite sides of said shaft, driving means mounted on said first toothed members and said rotatably toothed members, driving means mounted on said second toothed members and said rotatable toothed members to impart differential motion to said housing and to said second sleeve member upon rotation of said shaft, means for varying the distance of said rotatably mounted toothed members from said shaft.

4. In a differential for roving frames and the like, a drive shaft, a sleeve fixed on said shaft, a second sleeve rotatably mounted on said shaft, a third sleeve having a housing integral therewith rotatably mounted on said first sleeve, a pair of sprockets integral with said first sleeve and disposed within said housing, a second pair of sprockets integral with said second sleeve and disposed within said housing, a pair of toothed members rotatably mounted within the housing, driving means mounted on first pair of sprockets and said toothed members, driving means mounted on second pair of sprockets and toothed members to impart differential motion to said housing and said second sleeve member upon the rotation of said shaft, a gear on the third sleeve and geared 

